The Silken Mask
by Pimpernelunderthecelticmoon
Summary: The Book begins, MM Debienne and MM Poligny are retiring, Christine wakes bewildered in the arms of a clueless Mama Velarius, what happened that night? Chapter Two is up!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not 'The Phantom of the Opera,' I sold him to Maidenhair for twelve sous. **

Christine shivered. The cold air nipped at her,

"Come my angle, don't be afraid," the coaxing male voice continued. Christine felt out into the darkness behind her mirror,

"But I am afraid," she answered her insides quaking,

"Don't be," he said again, abruptly out of the darkness a skeletally thin hand appeared, and took her shoulder, lowering her into the midnight light. An indistinguishable face peered at her. Christine's mind went up in flames, and she tumbled to the floor.

"Where am I?" Christine muttered half asleep. She could feel soft covering over her, and quivered. Daring herself she opened her eyes. She lay in a room; the walls were covered with tapestry, which covered the unpainted wall beneath. The door was rounded in the far night of the room, and a large vanity covered the wall in front of her. it took her a moment to realize there was a man in the room, she started.

He was wearing a black suit, with a dark cape. A black velvet silken mask covered his face all except head, where a few dark locks fell, his yellow eyes scrutinized her.

Christine's breath came in frightened gasps,

"Don't be afraid Christine," the persuading voice continued, as he advanced towards her.

Christine suddenly felt very much at peace, "I'm not," she answered in all honesty, just as the masked man was about to lift her from the bed, and take her somewhere a vile noise screeched through the house.

The man pricked his face up listening; the sound increased sounding as if a thousand nails were being uprooted. The man dropped Christine's hand, and rushed from the room.

"Oui?" he called out into the unbearable clamor as he opened the round door, the only answer was a boost of the resonance followed by heavy thumping.

Christine's heart was in her throat, the man exited the room. The sound vanished.

Christine could hear the man negotiating with someone faintly in the next room. Yet suddenly an explosion occurred, and Christine leapt to her feet.

Dashing to the door she flung it open. Smoke filled her eyes, gagging she fell to the floor searching for air, there was none, she tried to scream, but the smoke only filled her lungs. Christine crawled forward along the floor until her hand touched something, holding it close to her face she realized it was a piece of black silk, and on further observation she saw it was a mask, and not any mask, it was the mask. Blood covered the inside, and began to slide onto her hands as well.

Tears blinded her eyes as she looked at the fire, and smoke. The whole room began to spin, and she plummeted into darkness.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two, In Which Christine wakes up in Mama Valerius' arms, and the Opera Manager's retire. **

_Disclaimer: I have disclaimed! So I exclaim, I'm NOT YET DEAD!_

Christine groaned, and her eyes fluttered open. Her vision was blurred but from what she could see she was lying in bed, a pink canopy covered her, she closed her eyes again trying to remember what had happened, the masked man! She sat bolt right up, to find that someone was sitting next to her bed,

"The Angel's awakened!" an extremely over weight woman exclaimed, Christine cringed at Mama Valerius' voice.

Mama Valerius was a fat woman that had taken care of Christine since she was a child, after her father had died, the old woman was boisterous, sentimental, and hadn't a pint of sense in her body, and at this time she began to faucets with relief,

"No on one knew if we'd ever get you out!" she blubbered taking a handkerchief out of her bulging apron pocket, "That fire came right into your dressing room!"

The fire came flooding back to Christine as well, "There was a fire!" she screamed, "What happened,"

Mama Valerius began to sip the tea that had just been served and stuffed a croissant in her bulbous mouth.

"Yes! In the third cellar, and it spread, came right in through your mirror, scorched it, did you know that there was a trapdoor behind your mirror, astonishing is it not?"

"Yes it is," Christine mumbled, Mama Valerius snorted while she swallowed some more cake,

A knock sounded at the door, Mama Valerius sighed, "Come in," she said, "but can't yous see that an angel has just awoken from an extremely trying day!'

A maid poked her terrified head around the corner,

"Mademoiselle," she quaked, "there's a letter for Miss Daae,"

Mama Valerius snorted again, "Alright bring it in and leave Charlotte, and can't you see I'm giving a parental lecture,"

Christine was about to point out that Mama Valerius wasn't her mother but the message was dropped in her hands, and her words vanished, it had the seals of MM Debienne, and MM Poligny, she tore away the seal, and read. It said:

_To my dear member of the Opera, _

_We, the managers of The Paris Opera House are retiring within the week, and ask you, a member of the opera, to be kind to out predecessors, whom you shall meet the day we leave. _

_We remain your infinite supporters, _

_Debienne _

_Poligny _

Christine dropped the note in shock,

"Is anything wrong dear?" The obese one asked between gulps of muffin,

"The managers are retiring," she whispered,

"Oh, well that's nothing to fret about, Lord; I thought you meant something really awful had happened, like the bakery getting condemned,"

Christine just rolled her blue eyes, and played with her blonde hair, suddenly she remembered the mask, what had happened to it?


End file.
